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Modifiable Predictors Associated with Having a Gestational Weight Gain Goal

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Abstract

The goal of this paper was to determine predictors of having a weight gain goal in early pregnancy. In 2008, we administered a 48-item survey to 249 pregnant women attending obstetric visits. We examined predictors of women having a goal concordant or discordant with 1990 Institute of Medicine (IOM) guidelines, vs. no goal, using binary and multinomial logistic regression. Of the 292 respondents, 116 (40%) had no gestational weight gain goal, 112 (39%) had a concordant goal and 61 (21%) had a goal discordant with IOM guidelines. Predictors of a guideline-concordant goal, vs. no goal, included sugar sweetened beverage consumption < vs. ≥ 1 serving per week (OR = 2.4, 95%CI: 1.1, 5.7), physical activity ≥ vs. <2.5 h per week (OR = 3.6, 95%CI: 1.7, 7.5), agreeing that ‘I tried to keep weight down not to look pregnant’ (OR = 14.3, 95%CI: 1.4, 140.5). Other predictors only of having a discordant goal (vs. no goal) included agreeing that ‘as long as I am eating well, I don’t care how much I gain’ (OR = 0.3, 95%CI: 0.2, 0.8) and agreeing that ‘if I gain too much weight one month, I try to keep from gaining the next’ (OR = 4.1, 95%CI: 1.6, 10.4). Women whose doctors recommended weight gains consistent with IOM guidelines were more likely to have a concordant goal (vs. no goal) (OR = 5.3, 95%CI: 1.5, 18.6). Engaging in healthy behaviors and having health providers offer IOM weight gain recommendations may increase the likelihood of having a concordant gestational weight gain goal, which, in turn, is predictive of actual weight gains that fall within IOM guidelines.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. John Hancock Research Center on Physical Activity, Nutrition and Obesity Prevention, Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University, 150 Harrison Ave., Room 243, Boston, MA, 02111, USA

    Alison Tovar

  2. Obesity Prevention Program, Department of Population Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute, Boston, MA, USA

    Lauren B. Guthrie & Emily Oken

  3. Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates, Boston, MA, USA

    Deborah Platek

  4. Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Alison Stuebe

  5. Center for Obesity Research and Education, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA

    Sharon J. Herring

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  1. Alison Tovar
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  2. Lauren B. Guthrie
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  3. Deborah Platek
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  4. Alison Stuebe
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  5. Sharon J. Herring
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  6. Emily Oken
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Correspondence to Alison Tovar.

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Tovar, A., Guthrie, L.B., Platek, D. et al. Modifiable Predictors Associated with Having a Gestational Weight Gain Goal. Matern Child Health J 15, 1119–1126 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-010-0659-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10995-010-0659-7

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